MP3 Players Reviews

The reviews below are assigned ratings by ConsumerSearch. These ratings are based on credibility in testing, evaluating and identifying the best MP3 Players. See our ratings criteria

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MP3 Players Reviews Reviewed
Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	MP3 Players Ratings Comments on Reviews
1. CNet.com	Best 5 MP3 players Donald Bell As of Apr. 2008		CNet.com's landing page for MP3 players lists the personal favorites of senior editor Donald Bell, with links to lists of top-rated MP3 players in a number of categories, including hard drive, flash memory, compact and budget. All MP3 players receive numerical ratings so they can be compared to others of the same type, and the very best MP3 players get an Editors' Choice rating. The new second generation Microsoft Zune is the top pick overall and among hard-drive players, surpassing scores for the iPod classic. Among flash-based players, the Apple iPod touch has the top ranking. The Creative Zen V Plus and Cowon iAudio 7 share the top score among the "ultracompacts," edging out the Apple iPod nano. The top "budget" selection is the Creative Zen V.
2. PC Magazine >> Details/Subscribe	Cheap MP3 Players 101 Tim Gideon Aug. 24, 2007		Although this older article was written shortly before the debut of the revamped Apple iPod nano, it is still a very worthwhile, head-to-head comparison of five inexpensive and still current flash-based MP3 players. Tim Gideon does a good job giving bullet-point summaries of each player's strengths and weaknesses, and he ranks the models covered in order of preference. Links lead to full reviews of each player. The Samsung YP-U3 takes top honors and is described as well-designed, small and easy to use. The older Sansa Express is close behind and features FM recording -- something the YP-U3 lacks -- and is cheaper. Both are rated as Editors' Choice winners.
3. PC Magazine >> Details/Subscribe	MP3 Players Editors of PC Magazine As of Apr. 2008		In addition to the article above, PC Magazine reviews MP3 players in single-player reports and occasional multi-player roundups. The reports are logical and easy to read, but the magazine doesn't cover as many players as CNet.com. PC Magazine calls the Apple iPod touch "simply the best portable media player ever made." The Apple iPod nano is called a winner, with reviewer Tim Gideon adding that nothing in its price range is better. Both players are Editors' Choice winners, as is the second generation Microsoft Zune hard-drive player, which bests the Apple iPod classic because "it has more features – and it's more fun."

MP3 Players Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	MP3 Players Ratings Comments on Reviews

4. Consumer Reports >> Details/Subscribe	iPods & MP3 players Editors of Consumer Reports Feb. 2008		Consumer Reports' most recent MP3 update is a comprehensive affair covering 37 flash and hard-drive MP3 players, although some of them are variations of the same product, such as separate listings for the Apple iPod classic 160 GB and 80 GB models. Ratings are clear and well explained, but there isn't a lot of discussion about individual MP3 players. While some content on the site is free, ratings are only available to subscribers.
5. PC Magazine >> Details/Subscribe	Trustworthy Tech: MP3 Players Editors of PC Magazine Oct. 31, 2007		Each year, PC Magazine surveys its readers about all varieties of technology products, including MP3 players. Readers are asked to rate their players on reliability, technical support and other service factors, along with whether or not they'd recommend their player to others. Readers are also asked to rate both sound quality and ease of use. The overwhelming number of responses (around 54 percent of the total) comes from Apple iPod users, who are also the most satisfied with their players. The Microsoft Zune registers a close and respectable second place, though that's based on far less feedback.
6. Laptop Magazine >> Details/Subscribe	MP3 and Video Player Reviews Editors of Laptop magazine As of Apr. 2008		Laptop magazine covers all things mobile, including MP3 players. For the most part, the reviews are competent, but they don't go into the depth and detail of those at some other sites. MP3 players are given a rating from one to five stars, with the best overall earning Editors' Choice awards. The latest Apple iPod nano is commended for its unparalleled ease of use, but the editors also suggest that the newest flash Microsoft Zune might be a better deal because it has more options, unless you're married to iTunes. Other recent Editors' Choice awards go to the Apple iPod touch and the Slacker Portable, which not only stores music files but is a portable Internet radio.

MP3 Players Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	MP3 Players Ratings Comments on Reviews

7. GoodGearGuide.com	Portable Multimedia Editors of GoodGearGuide.com As of Apr. 2008		This Australian site covers a wide range of products with blunt comments and a star rating system. You can sort reviews by date or rating, but the latter isn't as useful as it could be, because a lot of older, discontinued models remain on the site. Review lengths are variable, but even the longest don't match the depth of the reports we found by the best reviewers. Most, but not all, of the MP3 players reviewed are available in the U.S.
8. PC World >> Details/Subscribe	Top 10 MP3 Players (Flash-Based) Editors of PC World Mar. 21, 2008		PC World provides a ten-best list of flash-based MP3 players here. Reviews are short, but they cover the most important details. Ratings are derived from both hands-on evaluations by editors and formal lab testing, and results are posted on the site. The Creative Zen earns top marks for its value, ease of use and impressive list of features. The 2 GB Creative Zen V Plus captures the second spot overall for being a "more than worthy competitor to Apple's pricier iPod Nano." That said, reviewers indicate that the redesigned Apple iPod nano "redefines the portable media player." The SanDisk Sansa Connect remains on the list (at number six) despite news in February that Yahoo is discontinuing the service the device uses to acquire music wirelessly -- a disappointing oversight. A separate list of hard-drive based MP3 players is also available, but it has not been updated since April 2007 and thus is of limited value at this time.
9. Anything But iPod	MP3 Player Reviews -- News Editors of AnythingButiPod.com As of Apr. 2008		If you're looking for an MP3 player that's not an iPod, a stop here is certainly in order, though you might want to wait until you've narrowed down your selection a bit. The reviews are up to date and very complete. While there are no ratings or editors' recommendations to help guide visitors to which MP3 players are best overall, opinions are given, and they leave little doubt as to which are great choices -- and which are not.
10. ITReviews.co.uk	MP3 Player Reviews -- News Editors of ITReviews.co.uk As of Apr. 2008		ITReviews.co.uk is a UK site that covers all things PC. The MP3 player reviews are well written, knowledgeable and not too technical, but consumers need to work too hard to see the pecking order, and not all players are available in the United States. Top-rated players receive a "Recommended" rating, but you'll have to call up each review individually to see what gets that seal of approval, and it's not really worth it. This is a good stop after you've narrowed your choices at a better organized site.
11. PCAdvisor.co.uk	MP3 Players Staff of PCAdvisor.co.uk As of Apr. 2008		The British computer magazine PC Advisor offers shorter reviews than you'll find from similar publications in the United States. At first glance it looks helpful, but that's a little misleading. For example, the site's star rating system doesn't offer much guidance because there are too many four- to five-star products from which to choose. Top-rated products get a PC Advisor Gold award, but just about all MP3 players here qualify. All in all, you're better off narrowing your search elsewhere and then checking here instead of making this a first stop.
12. Digital Trends.com	Top Reviews for MP3 & Media Players Editors of DigitalTrends.com As of Apr. 2008		The reviews at Digital Trends provide a decent amount of detail and include lots of photos. For those just interested in a "bottom line" evaluation, each review opens with a short introduction, strong and weak points and a rating score. The top-rated players make it to this list, and those that score 8.5 out of ten or higher are named an "Editors' Choice." One negative is that discontinued MP3 players are slow to be removed. Among current MP3 players, the top choices are the Apple iPod nano, Apple iPod touch, Samsung P2 and Apple iPod classic. Editors also say that if you have the last generation Apple iPod, and don't need additional storage, there's no need to upgrade.
13. DAPreview.net	Top Score Reviews Editors of DAPreview.net As of Apr. 2008		The reviews at DAPreview are thorough, knowledgeable and often blunt, even if the writing is not that sophisticated. The site is a bit of a nuisance to navigate, and this list of products includes more than just MP3 players. On the plus side, these are much more than user reviews; the editors take their site and opinions seriously. Unfortunately, the site doesn't report on as many MP3 players as better rated sites, and lots of discontinued products make it harder to sort through what is there. It's also a bit slow to review even major products, weighing in on the updated Microsoft Zune some four months after most review sources.
14. Macworld >> Details/Subscribe	Player hardware Reviews and First Looks Editors of Macworld As of Apr. 2008		Macworld's MP3 player reviews are centered squarely on in-depth looks at the iPod. Ratings are given, but since the magazine is comparing iPods to iPods, those really don't add much insight, and everything gets similarly high ratings. What's more valuable is that each review goes deeply into the nuts and bolts of the player, with special attention to how they differ from previous generations. Some non-MP3 player evaluations clutter up things, but not so much as to be too much of a nuisance.
15. The New York Times >> Details/Subscribe	Making Over the iPod Family (Again) David Pogue Sept. 13, 2007		New York Times technology guru David Pogue gives the Apple iPod lineup a once-over and declares that they are "the best players you can buy." Greatest praise is reserved for the Apple iPod nano. Though he finds a few small nits to pick -- the headphone jack is on the bottom so it doesn't sit levelly when you prop it up on a treadmill, for example -- he also adds "you'd have to be a real Grinch to find fault with this sweet piece of engineering." (Note that ConsumerSearch is part of The New York Times Company, but is not affiliated editorially.)
16. The New York Times	Microsoft Challenges the iPod (Again) David Pogue Nov. 29, 2007		The New York Times technology expert David Pogue reviews the second generation of the Microsoft Zune and, while he allows that it's a big improvement over the initial offering, he says the Apple iPod classic is still a "more versatile, compact and beautiful machine" and frets over whether Microsoft will stand behind Zune Marketplace for the long haul. (Note that ConsumerSearch is part of The New York Times Company, but is not affiliated editorially.)
17. Amazon.com	MP3 players Contributors to Amazon.com As of Apr. 2008		Most of the popular MP3 players here get very positive ratings, making Amazon.com not as helpful as it could be. On the positive side, if you read deep into reviews, you'll find some nuggets of wisdom about ease of use or durability that typically don't turn up in professional reviews. Amazon.com is certainly worth a stop once you've narrowed down your choices, but it's impossible to figure out which MP3 players are best overall if you only read reviews here.

MP3 Players Reviews above this line are significantly better than reviews below.

Review Ratings	Citation	CS Credibility Rating	MP3 Players Ratings Comments on Reviews

18. Top Ten Reviews.com	2008 Flash MP3 Player Report Editors of TopTenReviews.com Not Dated		Though this site has a useful at-a-glance look at MP3 player features, things get sketchy beyond that. There's no good explanation of any testing that's done or the rating criteria. In fact, the discussion of battery life for the Cowon iAudio 7 actually makes it clear that the site never tested that for itself -- a glaring omission. There is also a separate report on "mini MP3 players," but the listing of a player that was discontinued last year as the top choice makes us sincerely doubt the 2008 date in the article's headline.
19. Top Ten Reviews.com	2008 Hard Drive MP3 Player Report Editors of TopTenReviews.com Not Dated		Like the review of flash-based MP3 players above, this report on hard-drive models is best for its table of MP3 player features. Though current versions of the iPod classic and Microsoft Zune are included, the listing contains several discontinued MP3 players as well as some devices more properly categorized as portable media players, limiting usefulness even more.
20. MP3.com	Worst MP3 players of 2007 MP3.com staff Mar. 3, 2008		MP3.com's MP3 player reviews are repackaged versions of those that also appear on its sister site, CNet.com. But in this case, it's a pretty interesting repackaging. Though the site admits its headline is a bit inaccurate as the truly worst players tend to be ignored -- these are the "worst" mainstream players based on CNet.com reviews. The Coby MP-C7082 heads the list of six -- it was called an "atrocity" by CNet reviewer Jasmine France, who dismisses the interface and also the fact that she was unable to get stereo sound from what she guesses was a defective sample.
21. TheTechLounge.com	Portable Media Players Editors of TheTechLounge.com As of Apr. 2008		The reviews here are very lengthy, highly detailed and critical, but there is no way to tell which MP3 players are the most highly recommended without calling up each review individually, then clicking through to the final page and the conclusion. That's a lot of work to expect of the consumer when there are plenty of other review sites that are more easily navigated. In addition, relatively few MP3 players are evaluated, and as of our last visit, no new players have been rated since July 2007.
22. Consumer Guide.com	MP3 Players Editors of ConsumerGuide.com As of Apr. 2008		The MP3 player reviews are a mixed bag. The best, while not lengthy, touch on all of the important points. Clearly, someone is putting these players through their paces and not simply relying on manufacturer information to derive their ratings. Others, however, including the most recent one posted on the site at the time of our last visit, give little insight that can't be gleaned right from the maker's sell sheet. In addition, most of the reviews are not highly critical, and we remain uncomfortable with how many players (19 of the 46 models currently) manage to receive Best Buy or Budget Buy recommendations. Finally, a number of discontinued players remain listed on the site.
23. Epinions	MP3 Players Contributors to Epinions As of Apr. 2008		Like Amazon.com, Epinions is a site where you can read user reviews of products of all kinds. There are many more reviews for iPods than for other players, but that's to be expected considering the number of iPod users vs. the others. Most MP3 players get less feedback here than at Amazon.com.